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Lent devotional 40
Dinner with family
I can’t imagine the last supper’s emotions for Jesus. You are sitting at a table surrounded by friends, everyone is smiling and laughing and having a good time but you know you need to prepare them again for tomorrow, so you take a deep breath and let it all go. The smiles turn to horror as each begs to know who the traitor is. You smile sadly. You can’t tell them. There are too many hot heads in the group that would take down the traitor, and tomorow needs to happen. The meal goes on, sadly, quietly, ‘will they be ready? Can I prepare them more?’ A healing hug of comfort or two would help but none come, you know the only true comfort you need is God the Father, your Father and that when you seek Him He will strengthen you.
Just think, Jesus died so that you could also have the comfort from God, God will also strengthen you. Our friend and savior suffered so that when we suffer we can go to him. Before there was always a curtain, now there are open doors beckoning us in, ready to show us love.
Lent devotional 38
Teacher
Jesus was and is so many things, but what was His main title other than savior? Teacher.
Today during Holy Week, Jesus took His followers and went to the Mount of Olives to teach them. He taught them about Faith. Why on one of Jesus’ last days as a person here on Earth did He choose to teach on faith? I am guessing because He knew how tested the faith of His friends would be over the next few days. He wanted them to remember that no matter how tempted we are to lose Faith and turn to despair that we should never follow that path. Jesus knew that we would doubt, He knew that we would be afraid, so on a walk to the Mount of Olives, Jesus taught His people to have faith. Don’t lose your faith friends, Jesus was talking to you too❤
Lent devotional 36
Palm Sunday
Palm trees are synonymous with peace. Palm trees signify tropical vacations. Palm fronds are common in gardens meant to draw us to serenity. So isn’t it fitting that the king who came to give us peace would ride in on an animal of peace stepping upon plants of peace. In truth palm Sunday is a very sad day, it’s the beggining of the suffering of Jesus, the true suffering. Jesus rode in amungst cheers and worship, but He knew that it was the beggining of His suffering. His smile would have masked the pain surrounding His heart, not particualrilly because He would suffer and die but because He, the one who knew God fully and had basked in the glory of His Father, would now know the cold wasteland of being without God. For us who know God a little here, the best we can on the earth, being without Him feels crushing. Now imagine knowing God completely and having been there since the first day, and now knowing that He would have a time away from that glorious God was heartbreaking.
Palm Sunday was a celebration. And we should celebrate Jesus and all He has done, but it was also a sorrow for the one who knew what was ahead.
Lent devotional 35
She worked each day doing all she could lay her hand to. Her body was worn as she finally sat in the yard and sighed, there was too much. Then out of the snow a small dog manifested, he couldn’t help because he had no hands, his small body couldn’t pull the wagon or rake the wood shavings, but he could make her smile and that he did with all his heart.
Sometimes all we need is someone to bring us joy. We can also be that someone for someone else! Have a great weekend!
Lent devotional 34
What’s your favorite way to spend time with God?
I enjoy worship the most. The words and the music feel like they are drawing me closer to God’s presence. Some prefer their prayer time, sitting down at night and talking with their Father. Or reading the Bible and studying God’s word.
Whatever you enjoy the most it’s good to remember that the others are also vital to your relationship with God. Don’t forget to spend time praying, reading God’s word, and worshiping. All make God happy. But it’s also fine to spend the most time doing what makes you feel closest to God. Not everyone can pray for two hours, not everyone loves the feeling of in depth worship, some get a little lost when studying, so if one makes you feel closest to God then feel free to focus on that one, just don’t forget to include the others.
Lent devotional 33
When doubt calls up more doubt.
Doubt sounds like such a tiny word, it’s barely more than a syllable long, and yet…. doubt is the great destroyer. It destroys our dreams, our ambitions, our families, and our relationship with God. Doubt. It’s such an ugly word! I doubt that will happen. Stop. I doubt your words. Stop. I doubt God can do it, I even doubt He cares. Stop it! Can’t you hear God crying out amidst your doubt? Can’t you hear those who love you begging you to stop doubting and start living! Start trusting God! Stop using doubt as an excuse to run away! Stop using it as a reason to give up! Doubt doesn’t exist where there is Faith, doubt has no place at the throne of God! But it’s such a small thing, who cares if I doubt? God does! I do! It hurts those around you and causes you to want to give up when you know deep down that you should keep fighting! I don’t doubt that you can do it, I don’t doubt that God can help you! You don’t need the faith of Moses or David or Joshua, you only need faith the size of a musterdseed to move past this! God can’t work if you don’t let Him, so let God and blindly follow until He lets you see what He is doing. Doubt only leads to more doubt and soon it will drown you, but faith leads to more faith that will raise you up to fly on your battered and tired wings! God will carry you, but you have to trust Him and ditch your useless doubt!!
Lent devotional 32
Day of tears
‘Today is my day to sorrow’, thought the tiny flower growing beside a rock. ‘Last night a great trouble came over me as a man, or something more than a man, sat by my side and wept. His tears were so great that when they splashed upon me I felt sick and my roots were weakened. I tried to reach out to the man, but I am just a flower and cannot draw attention to myself like a bird can with her song. He cried and screamed and begged and pleaded, but no peace came to this man. I hoped that He would look at me and I could make Him smile. He left and then returned, even sadder when He came back. All I could do was sit with Him. Then I sensed a resolve in His being and He went to stand once more. He stumbled and His hands landed near me. I tried to be radiant to bring Him comfort, finally He saw me, He smiled very gently, then He rose to His feet. “Thank you my radiant flower.” He said, then He left.
I feel that something great and tragic happened that night. Today I feel as though a friend is calling out for mercy. Today I feel sad. But being a flower, I know that tomorrow will bring new joy and hope.’
Lent devotional 31
Stormie Omartan once said that she didn’t truly feel open to God even though she had let Him into her life. Then she realized that the problem was that she had only let Him into one section of her life. He wanted all of her and so she had to start opening the doors to other parts of her life. Finances. Family. Loss. Gain. Relationships. Work. Dreams. Each time she opened a door God would embody that part of her and then knock on the next door. What about us? Are there doors we are keeping closed to God? What are you afraid to let Him take control of in your life? What am I afraid to let Him take control of in mine? Don’t forget, not ever! God loves you! He wants you and wants to take care of you! It’s His choice, and He chose to create you. Don’t forget that.
Lent devotional 30
God made everything to work within his purpose. I brush my horse in the spring, his hair covers the ground with a blanket of fluff, then the birds collect the hair and line their nests with it. Everything has a purpose, and everything works according to his will. A person is born with epilepsy, suddenly the parents of that person see the world in a different way and create a clinic to help other children with the same disease. A brother with depression tries to commit suicide, his family suddenly see the pain in those around them that they hadn’t noticed before, so they start a Reach Out Ministry to help others who are struggling. You don’t know why you are suffering, you don’t know why those around you are suffering, but God has a purpose, if you open up to him. You may never even see that purpose fulfilled in your lifetime, all you can do is know God makes no mistakes, and that even your pain has a purpose.
Carried in the cross 